Press Release

Strasbourg, 19 February 2008

Number of VoD services in Europe grew remarkably in 2007

The European Audiovisual Observatory and the French
Government's Media Development Department (DDM) have published the
results of a new survey of VoD services in Europe, carried out by NPA
Conseil.

Upsurge in number of services

At the end of 2007, the survey found 258 VoD services in operation in
the 24 European countries covered, compared with 142 services at the end
of December 2006.

This upsurge in the number of services is largely explained by the
fact that television channels generally now have websites offering free
catch-up TV, giving viewers access to certain programmes, notably
episodes of series, for a period of several days after their
transmission. As in 2006, France - with 32 services - remains the
country with the highest level of VoD provision; it is followed by the
Netherlands (with 30 services) and Germany (with 26 services). Together,
these three countries account for almost a third of Europe's VoD
services.

Number of VoD services in the 24 European countries surveyed, by type
of platform (December 2007)

Country

Total number
of services (1)

Increase in total
over one year

Internet

IPTV

Cable

Satellite

DTT

Total (2)

> 20

France

32

+12

26

13

1

40

Netherlands

30

+11

27

3

1

31

Germany

26

+14

20

4

2

2

28

10-20

Sweden

16

+8

11

5

16

United Kingdom

16

+3

11

4

4

1

1

21

Norway

14

+7

11

4

1

16

Spain

15

+9

12

3

1

16

Italy

12

+4

9

4

13

Denmark

11

+4

8

3

3

14

Belgium

10

+0

3

5

6

14

Austria

10

+5

8

1

1

10

5-10

Switzerland

9

+6

7

1

1

9

Hungary

8

+4

6

2

8

Finland

8

+4

7

2

1

10

Ireland

7

+2

5

2

1

8

Poland

6

+3

2

2

2

2

8

Portugal

6

+4

3

2

1

1

7

Slovakia

5

+4

4

1

5

1-4

Estonia

4

+2

2

1

1

4

Iceland

4

+3

4

1

1

6

Slovenia

4

+4

2

2

4

Cyprus

2

+0

2

2

Turkey

1

+1

1

1

Luxembourg

2

+2

2

2

Total

258

+116

191

67

26

8

1

293

(1) The same service available on different networks is
counted in the total only once.
(2) The same service available on different networks is counted
in the total more than once.

Source:
NPA Conseil

74% of the services surveyed are delivered via Internet, 26% are
available as part of IPTV packages and 10% come with cable packages. As
previously, only a minority of VoD services are delivered via satellite
or on digital terrestrial television.

Breakdown of VoD services in Europe by
type of network (December 2007)

Certain services may be distributed on more than one network
and, in such cases, they have been counted more than once.
Source: NPA Conseil

The marked increase in the number of VoD services on Internet reflects
the expansion of catch-up TVprovision by broadcasters over the
last two years - most catch-up services being offered via Internet.
Throughout Europe, 62 catch-up TV services are delivered on Internet,
compared with 11 services on IPTV, 8 on cable, 2 via satellite and 1 on
DTT. Initially, almost all catch-up TV was offered on Internet, but
cable and DSL operators have now begun to include it on their networks.

The survey also reflects the latest developments in strategy among the
various players involved in VoD provision (including cable and IPTV
network operators, television channels, programme makers and equipment
manufacturers).

Set up in December 1992, the
European Audiovisual Observatory's mission is to gather and
distribute information on the audiovisual industry in Europe.
The Observatory is a European public service body comprised of
36 member states and the European Community, represented by the
European Commission. It operates within the legal framework of
the Council of Europe and works alongside a number of partner
and professional organisations from within the industry and with
a network of correspondents. In addition to contributions to
conferences, other major activities are the publication of a
Yearbook, newsletters and reports, the compilation and
management of databases and the provision of information through
the Observatory’s Internet site (http://www.obs.coe.int).